• When a follow-up to "Twas the Week/Night Before Christmas" didn't flow, and "The Raven" seemed tapped, tapped, tapped out, I turned to other poems. I'm fond of Robert Frost, but didn't feel like bastardizing one of his poems for my quirky pleasure. Since we're talking poems here, it wasn't too surprising when my mind wandered to the obvious...Trees. My attempt began with: "I think that I shall never see...A poem to match the pure glee." Well, I think you'd readily agree that THAT was going nowhere fast.

• Since, come January 16th, I never plan to mention the name of Leotis D. Swopes again, my catty brain thought of Prince...specifically when Prince disavowed his name, choosing to go by an unpronounceable "Love Symbol"...which of necessity morphed into "The Artist Formerly Known as Prince". I was thinking along the lines of "The Superintendent Formerly Known as the Prince of Darkness", but I simply couldn't get beyond the "Love Symbol" thing. I mean...I was planning to use a pitchfork for a symbol, but the recurring thought of a "Love Symbol" just ruined the whole concept.

• To make matters worse, there was the nagging, nasty knowledge of the success rate of "Sequels". Quick quiz: Name five sequels that met or exceeded the quality of the original offering! Four, three, two, one? (Sorry...I'm really, really into this countdown thing!) Case on point: Friday the 13th. Do you know how many follow-up "Parts" there were to the original movie? Does anybody really care??? If famous directors and producers can't overcome the curse of sequels, what's a lowly CAT Tracks editor to do.

And then it happened...

...while driving down Highway 51...

...a flashback to an old photograph...

...an inspiration to save us all from further lyrical meanderings.

Poetry doesn't have to be words, rhyming or otherwise.

People speak of poetry in motion...

...or poetic justice.

If seeing a tree can inspire Joyce Kilmer to write an ageless poem...

...then why can't remembering an old photograph inspire me to author "A Poetic Farewell".

So...

Rather than a farewell poem, I pounced upon:

Poetic Justice:
• fitting retribution; just deserts

• an outcome in which virtue triumphs over vice (often ironically)

The image that appeared in my mind met both of the above characteristics...fitting retribution, the triumph of good over evil.

Or, in other words...

"Payback is a CAT!"

So, without further ado...

When we last saw Leotis:

At a loss for rhymes on this special occasion as the scheduled day of departure draws nearer, let us simply hope that Leotis finds reason for a lingering glance in his rearview mirror:

Back Atcha, Dawg!